The Smoke Keeps Billowing
by Lady Pirate 18
Summary: A song fic that surrounds most of the central characters. Set right after The Penultimate Peril. Rated for safety. A rather sad story involving fire, triplets, a mysterious note. Enjoy!


_A broad incision sits across the evening  
The victim to our fathers lost war  
The restless children sit and mourn the graves  
Of those they've never seen before  
Will they be buried here among the dead?  
In the silent secret_

The smoke billowed strangely from the ashes of a once great hotel, as it cut into the sky, deluding the sun's light. A tiny ship rocked with the waves, as it traveled further out into the sea.

Gazing over Olaf's body, peaceful in slumber, the Baudelaire orphans thought of the events that had occurred within the last few hours.

"We've failed everyone," said the middle child, gazing sadly on the smoke, "Especially our parents."

"This is what we were trying to prevent," His older sister said, gazing on the rising smoke.

"Wicked," said the youngest of the three, which in baby meant "Such wickedness," as she looked for any sign of life on the shore.

"We have killed so many people…." Klaus burst into tears, surprising his sisters.

"Klaus…." Violet and Sunny turned to look at their brother.

"Brother…."

"So many people…"

Violet put a loving hand on Klaus' shoulder. "Many of those people were wicked…"

"But many of them were good too. Jerome, Justice Straus, Charles, Hal! We killed them all!"

"Manout," Sunny said, grabbing her brother's hand.

"Sunny's right," Violet said," Many people escaped the fire. They all might be safe and unharmed."

"We should be there too…" Klaus looked away from his sisters.

"Klaus! What are you talking about!"

"We should have stayed there with Justice Straus! We should have died! Then at least we would be noble…like our parents. We don't deserve any kindness. We are wicked."

Violet stared at Klaus as his words sunk in… _We are wicked. We should have died._

_  
The pioneers  
In dealing with it they march for dawn, of Will and worthy  
The truth be told the child was born

* * *

_

_Man your own jackhammer  
Man your battle stations  
We'll have you dead pretty soon  
And now  
Sincerely written from my brother's blood machine  
Man your battle stations  
We'll have you home pretty soon  
And now_

The water stung her eyes as she raced onward. She had to help the Quagmires, they were in worse trouble then she had thought. She knew that the Hotel was already gone before she saw the smoke. She had received the news from an unexpected place. She had arrived to find Captain Widdershins gone and in his place the man from her past. He had given her a message, one that spoke volumes, one that broke her heart. Not only were the Quagmire's in trouble, but the Hotel had burned down. But that was not the worst news.

'Dewey', she thought, 'he was murdered.'

Kit's blood boiled, the man she loved was dead. The father of he unborn child, killed by some villain. Kit had seen to many killed in this schism. Her parents, Jacques, Dewey, it was nearly too much to take. At least her younger brother with the penchant for writing was alive and well. She knew that he would live through this war, if only to record it truthfully, so that the world would finally understand what has been happening under their nose's for the last many years.

'This war had been going on far to long.' And for the longest time she had worked undercover, trying to understand the enemy. But now she would fight back. For Dewey…

She felt the gun at her side and the tears on her face.

* * *

_Awake through motion with curiosity to curtain your first move  
Over arms length they'll break protocol  
Jealous envy for the youngest one  
To be the hero is all I'll ask  
Can I be buried here among the dead?  
With room to honor me here in the end  
You'll be better off too soon  
You'll be better off when you get home_

Feathers were everywhere, blocking his senses. The sky seemed to be darkened completely. Throwing his arms out blindly searching through the darkness, he noticed the blood on his hooks.

"Fernald!"

He turned abruptly at the sound of her voice.

"Fiona!" he responded, lurching forward, unbalanced. The giant air balloon was rocking back and forth. Fiona grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the front.

"There you are!" he cried, "you disappeared!"

"I can barely see anything Fernald, Aye! The Quagmires can't navigate in this! We need to make it to the Hotel in time for the trial, Aye! What can we do?"

"Get down!" He snapped, "And be careful! Those eagle talons are very sharp."

"We have bigger problems than a few scratches! What can we do? You worked with Olaf, Aye! Can't you think of anything to get us out of this mess?"

Fernald felt his heart sink. He couldn't do anything to save her. She believed in him and he was going to let her down again. What could he do! Those Baudelaire brats were the smart ones, always outsmarting him and Olaf. Alone…without any guidance, he was useless….

'Snap out of it Fernald!' He thought, 'Everyone is counting on you! What has Olaf taught you? What are eagles afraid of?'

"That's it!" He cried!

Fiona smiled at him. "I knew you would think of something Fernald."

He felt a small nice feeling in his heart that made him want to smile back. Instead he pulled her to the ground. "Stay here, out of the way. Be safe."

Grabbing a hold of the ladder, Fernald climbed to the top of the balloon, trying to keep his balance. 'The only thing Olaf ever told me about Eagles was,' he thought, striking a match, 'They are afraid of fire.'

Throwing the match into the fray of feathers, a horrifying shriek rose up out of the mound. Fire grew quickly around him, crows and eagles alike falling from the sky, crying. The crows…

To keep himself and his friends alive, he had to kill his own allies. It was the only way they could see and get out of this darkness.

As the burned bodies fell into the vast ocean, the sun's rays pierced through the darkness and lit a path to the hotel.

Fernald gasped. "No! Burned down! What possibly could have….Olaf." His eyes narrowed as he gazed toward the ashes of the once grand hotel. The last safe place…"Is all hope lost?"

Gazing at his hooks Fernald shook his head. "I got these as a reminder. I am not a hero, and I never will be. But that doesn't matter anymore. As long as Fiona is alright, I don't care."

A strong wind blew Fernald's hat off. He watched as it blew away, leaving him forever. One of the remaining eagles flew into view, his talons spread, racing toward the balloon, hoping to pop it. Fernald nearly fell over, brandishing his hooks, piercing the eagle in the wing. The huge eagle spread his wings, trying to take off, gaining few feet. Loosing his balance, Fernald fell, head first, off the balloon.

'Mom…Dad…Fiona…Can you ever forgive me for what I did?'

* * *

_For you,  
I'd do anything just to make you happy, hear you tell me that you're proud of me  
For them,  
I'll kill anything cut the throats of babies for them break their hearts for they were them  
Waiting for you to say: I love you too_

Nightmare's engulfed Olaf's mind. His mother and father scowled down at him,

as he cowered on the floor.

"Look what you are doing! Playing sailor with a bunch of kids! Pathetic Olaf, we always told you that you would never amount to anything. You are nothing but a disappointment to our family."

"But everything, I've done it for you! I love you Mo-"

His mother slapped him, her eyes fierce. "Don't call me 'Mother'. I will never admit that you are my son. You are not my child!"

Olaf fell to the ground in disappointment. And as he cried in his dreams, the youngest Baudelaire noticed tears falling down the face of the notorious villain.

* * *

_The navigator  
The pilot  
Her favorite  
The one they call the vision that bears the gift_

The Quagmire's heard Fiona's scream and quickly knew something had gone wrong.

"I'll go. Stay here!" Isadora rushed to find her female friend, as the darkness was devoured before her eyes.

"I wish Hector was here," Duncan said, "I'm still not sure I know how to land this thing."

Quigley sighed. He was finally reunited with his brother and sister after so long, but there was no time to celebrate. The eagles had appeared suddenly, attacking them with all their might. The crows had come to help, but the battle still raged.

"Whatever happens I'm glad to be here with you two again. It has been so long."

Duncan gave his brother a solid smile. "It has been. But nothing will keep us apart now. Not notorious villains, not horrible schemes, not even death."

Quigley looked out among the dark shapes flying past him. 'Let's hope we don't' need to put that to the test.'

* * *

_Will,  
Do the children really understand the things you did to them?  
And why oh why…  
Should they conjure up the will for you my love I would kill him  
we're coming home pretty soon_  
_Coming home_

"Olaf…that bastard! He's the one who did it." Kit's eyes narrowed harshly, "After everything he had already done to my family and those poor children…Now he killed the man I loved, the father of my unborn child….I will kill you Olaf…"

* * *

_In the seventh turning hour_

"I will avenge your death Dewey."

_Will the victims shadow fall?_

"I am a volunteer"

_Should the irony grow hungry?_

"Mommy….Daddy….I love you_…"_

_With the victory and all they sought for_

"Look! The Eagles are backing off! Wait! What's that!"

"Smoke? No! It's the hotel. It's unsafe, we have to turn around!"

"We have to land before the eagles come back!"

"It isn't safe"

"No where is safe."

_We were one among the fence_

"We did that Violet…"

_One among the fence_

"I know Klaus…I know."

* * *

Author's Notes: Wow..its been a loong time since I've last written! Not to mention the fact that this is my first ASOUE story! I know its a little...dark, but I think it fits kind of nicely.

The song is from Coheed and Cambria, In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3. Very good song! Great band too!

Sooo...I don't own anything, except this computer, which I love so much!

If you like this story review, if not, then I am very sorry to waste your time!

And to all! Have a wonderful day!


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